I'm researching the pros/cons of both slatted vs screened bottom boards. Any thoughts?
MarcL
Why Slatted vs screened bottom boards? Why not both?
I also use top entrances and SBB and slatted racks.
I also use top entrances and SBB and slatted racks.
IÂ’m also in agreement about using both, the slatted rack has been around for a long time and has many benefits which makes the expense worth it. As far as a screen bottom board itÂ’s a must for any IPM program. If you are the kind of beekeeper that makes a lot of your own equipment slatted racks and SBB are easy to make, If not the benefits out weigh the expense. The too go together like peas and carrots.
Marci,
Look at the slatted racks from BetterBee. The slats run in the same direction as the frames thus minimizing the problem you suggested. Without slatted racks, my bees bearded heavily in the summer. After adding the slatted racks the problem was eliminated. The screened bottom board is on the bottom as the name implies. Good luck.
Look at the slatted racks from BetterBee. The slats run in the same direction as the frames thus minimizing the problem you suggested. Without slatted racks, my bees bearded heavily in the summer. After adding the slatted racks the problem was eliminated. The screened bottom board is on the bottom as the name implies. Good luck.
I don't think you lose that many mites in the SBB anyway, but you do get good ventilation and a means of assessing the mites. The slatted rack goes on top of the SBB or it will serve no purpose at all. The cluster space it is trying to provide will be blocked by the screen. I'd just buy the slatted rack and staple #8 hardware cloth to the bottom and use a top entrance.
![Image]()
Slatted Rack; Original Design . . .
Dr. C. C. Miller is credited w/ developing the slatted rack. He used it in the production of comb honey in crowded hive conditions.
The original slatted rack was inserted through a hive entrance of TWO INCHES. This larger opening provided the "additional ventilation" we often hear accredited to SR. The SR only prevented comb building within the 2" space.
Stacking a present-day designed rack on top of an ordinary BB (7/8" opening) can NOT possibility provide more ventilation. Yes, more bees can cluster UNDER the rack slats and maybe by fanning, move some air. But, the slats (and front baffle) are REDUCING air flow.
I judge the use of a SR (as now designed) to be "useless" and a screened bottom board to be an absolute necessity.
![Image]()
Dr. C. C. Miller is credited w/ developing the slatted rack. He used it in the production of comb honey in crowded hive conditions.
The original slatted rack was inserted through a hive entrance of TWO INCHES. This larger opening provided the "additional ventilation" we often hear accredited to SR. The SR only prevented comb building within the 2" space.
Stacking a present-day designed rack on top of an ordinary BB (7/8" opening) can NOT possibility provide more ventilation. Yes, more bees can cluster UNDER the rack slats and maybe by fanning, move some air. But, the slats (and front baffle) are REDUCING air flow.
I judge the use of a SR (as now designed) to be "useless" and a screened bottom board to be an absolute necessity.
Does anyone have a photo or a link of a slatted rack installed on a SBB? I've seen a few for sale but I can't seem to understand how they fit. Thanks!
"Stacking a present-day designed rack on top of an ordinary BB (7/8" opening) can NOT possibility provide more ventilation. Yes, more bees can cluster UNDER the rack slats and maybe by fanning, move some air. But, the slats (and front baffle) are REDUCING air flow."
Dave
I don't think that the sr was being suggested as providing more ventilation, just more room for large hives to cluster, the use of a sbb would provide for additional ventilation.
"I can't seem to understand how they fit."
They just sit down inside the bottom board, their're only use is to provide more room for large hives to cluster on.
Dave
I don't think that the sr was being suggested as providing more ventilation, just more room for large hives to cluster, the use of a sbb would provide for additional ventilation.
"I can't seem to understand how they fit."
They just sit down inside the bottom board, their're only use is to provide more room for large hives to cluster on.
I'm NOT pickin on peggjam, but . . .
>I don't think that the sr was being suggested as providing more ventilation . . .
It is sometimes called a "ventilation board"
![Image]()
See - http://beesource.com/plans/bottomrack.htm
>They just sit down inside the bottom board . . .
BeeSource Plans show a SR that sits ON TOP (not inside) of standard bottom board.
See - http://beesource.com/plans/bottomrack.htm
>I don't think that the sr was being suggested as providing more ventilation . . .
It is sometimes called a "ventilation board"
See - http://beesource.com/plans/bottomrack.htm
>They just sit down inside the bottom board . . .
BeeSource Plans show a SR that sits ON TOP (not inside) of standard bottom board.
See - http://beesource.com/plans/bottomrack.htm
Here is what CC Miller had to say about slatted racks (he called them bottom racks):
"The bottom-board is a plain box, two inches deep, open at one end.... With such a bottom board there is a space two inches deep under the bottom bars, a very nice thing in winter, and at any other time when there is no danger of bees building down, but quite too deep for harvest time.... Of course, with a 2-inch space under the bottom-bars the bees would build down, sometimes even as early as dandelion bloom. Before that time I shove under the bottom-bars a bottom-rack. As material for a rack there are two pieces 18x1x3/4, and 21 pieces 10-1/2x3/8x3/16. The little pieces are nailed upon the 3/4-inch sides of the two larger pieces, ladder-fashion, with 1/2-inch space between the two strips. The strips are allowed to project over at each side about an inch.
I value this bottom-rack highly. It prevents building down, and at the same time gives the bees nearly the full benefit of the deep space, preventing overheating in hot weather, thus serving as no small factor in the prevention of swarming." (Fifty Years Among the Bees, Dover reprint 2006, pp 51-52)
I've been led to believe that the value of a slatted rack is two-fold:
1) provides cluster space outside the brood area (avoiding brood-area congestion)
2) moves the brood area up out of the light coming through the bottom entrance, which encourages the queen to lay fully to the bottom of the frames
"The bottom-board is a plain box, two inches deep, open at one end.... With such a bottom board there is a space two inches deep under the bottom bars, a very nice thing in winter, and at any other time when there is no danger of bees building down, but quite too deep for harvest time.... Of course, with a 2-inch space under the bottom-bars the bees would build down, sometimes even as early as dandelion bloom. Before that time I shove under the bottom-bars a bottom-rack. As material for a rack there are two pieces 18x1x3/4, and 21 pieces 10-1/2x3/8x3/16. The little pieces are nailed upon the 3/4-inch sides of the two larger pieces, ladder-fashion, with 1/2-inch space between the two strips. The strips are allowed to project over at each side about an inch.
I value this bottom-rack highly. It prevents building down, and at the same time gives the bees nearly the full benefit of the deep space, preventing overheating in hot weather, thus serving as no small factor in the prevention of swarming." (Fifty Years Among the Bees, Dover reprint 2006, pp 51-52)
I've been led to believe that the value of a slatted rack is two-fold:
1) provides cluster space outside the brood area (avoiding brood-area congestion)
2) moves the brood area up out of the light coming through the bottom entrance, which encourages the queen to lay fully to the bottom of the frames
My results with a group of 16 hives using slatted racks on screened pallets:
75% loss last year
31% to date this year
no medications.
75% loss last year
31% to date this year
no medications.
The only time I've heard of slatted racks used was for comb production. The Killians of Illinois used them, but not for increased ventilation. They were used to retain warmth of the brood nest when the hive was cut down and crowded to one brood box.
Perhaps a different use for a different purpose, which doesn't negate Miller's ideas.
Personally, I have no use for them. I use screen bottom boards, mostly for better ventilation and for monitoring mite levels.
Grant
Jackson, MO
Perhaps a different use for a different purpose, which doesn't negate Miller's ideas.
Personally, I have no use for them. I use screen bottom boards, mostly for better ventilation and for monitoring mite levels.
Grant
Jackson, MO
My loses are from mites, and the screened pallets have not reduced the loses noticibly. Slatted racks I have used for 30 years. On my new bee trailer, I have gone back to solid bottom pallets.
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
